By Christian Njoku
Miss Miriam Okon, has disclosed that the International Fund for Agricultural Development Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (EFAD-LIFE ND) programme transformed her life from joblessness to financial independence.
Okon, who was formerly unemployed told our reporter on Wednesday in Calabar that before joining the initiative, she struggled to survive and could barely afford basic needs.
She said the intervention enabled her to secure food, housing, and a stable livelihood through aquaculture training.
“I can now afford a room and put food on my table which makes me very grateful for the programme’s impact.
She said she was trained in fish production and now produces her own fingerlings and table sized fishes for the market in the last three years.
“Beyond personal growth, I now train others to earn income and this is a life-changing opportunity.
“I encourage my trainees to be serious, because they don’t have to suffer like me who met a lot of people claiming they would give you a job but were only interested in taken advantage of you,” she said.
Okon however, identified high cost of fish feed as a major challenge affecting productivity and profit margins citing poor feed quality and market access difficulties as constraints facing small-scale fish farmers.
Okon urged the programme to address feed costs and expand outreach to rural youth lacking opportunities.
In a related interview, Prof. Ayodeji Kunwe, an Agricultural Economist from the University of Port Harcourt said that passion was key to success in agribusiness.
Kunwe who is a trainer in the EFAD-LIFE ND project said interest and persistence were key ingredients an entrepreneurs needed to overcome Nigeria’s challenging agricultural environment.
According to him, the need for proper training in innovation and digital marketing skills was important to improve agribusiness outcomes.
“While I commend the beneficiaries of this project who have taken the bull by the horn and are doing well, I must state that similar initiatives fail due to poor implementation and lack of sustainability.
“I also warn against political interference, which often undermines genuine empowerment programmes and I advocate practical training systems that equip youths with hands-on and entrepreneurial skills,” he said
He added that innovation, including solar-powered storage and improved processing, could address post-harvest loses and empowering committed youths remained critical to transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
